יֹֽצְרֵי־פֶ֤סֶל כֻּלָּם֙ תֹּ֔הוּ וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶ֖ם בַּל־יֹועִ֑ילוּ וְעֵדֵיהֶ֣ם הֵ֗מָּה בַּל־יִרְא֛וּ וּבַל־יֵדְע֖וּ לְמַ֥עַן יֵבֹֽשׁוּ׃
Those who form an idol, all of them are nothing, and their desirable things do not profit; and their witnesses, they do not see and do not know, so that they may be put to shame.
Morphology
- יֹצְרֵי (yotserei) – Root: יצר; Form: Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “those who form”; Notes: Refers to craftsmen or idol-makers.
- פֶסֶל (fesel) – Root: פסל; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “idol” or “graven image”; Notes: Often refers to carved images of false gods.
- כֻּלָּם (kullam) – Root: כל; Form: Noun + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “all of them”; Notes: Emphasizes the collective nature of the idol-makers.
- תֹּהוּ (tohu) – Root: תהו; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “nothingness” or “emptiness”; Notes: Often connotes chaos or futility.
- וַחֲמוּדֵיהֶם (va-ḥamudeihem) – Root: חמד; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and their desirable things”; Notes: Refers to what people esteem in idols—precious materials or aesthetics.
- בַּל־יֹועִילוּ (bal-yoʿilu) – Root: יעל; Form: Negative particle + Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “do not profit”; Notes: Emphasizes futility or uselessness of idols.
- וְעֵדֵיהֶם (ve-ʿedeihem) – Root: עד; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and their witnesses”; Notes: Possibly refers to those who testify on behalf of the idols.
- הֵמָּה (hema) – Root: הם; Form: Independent pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Emphatic subject marker.
- בַּל־יִרְאוּ (bal-yirʾu) – Root: ראה; Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “do not see”; Notes: Describes spiritual or physical blindness of idol-witnesses.
- וּבַל־יֵדְעוּ (u-bal-yedʿu) – Root: ידע; Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and do not know”; Notes: Lack of understanding or insight.
- לְמַעַן (le-maʿan) – Root: מען; Form: Preposition; Translation: “so that”; Notes: Introduces a purpose clause.
- יֵבֹשׁוּ (yevoshhu) – Root: בוש; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they may be put to shame”; Notes: Conveys divine irony and judgment.